Dr. Alana Canupp began her career as a teacher and professor in Jacksonville at Florida State College while simultaneously studying for her Doctorate, while also progressing through an internship at USDA/APHIS in Gainesville, Florida. She received her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at the University of West Florida, a Master’s of Science in Biology at the University of Central Florida, and a Master’s Degree in Public Health and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida, where she was a Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Student. Throughout that time she was an active volunteer with many organizations, including ViDAS, Operation Catnip, First Coast No More Homeless Pets, HSUS, ASPCA, and the Jacksonville Humane Society.
From 2016 until 2021, Dr. Canupp served as Chief Veterinarian for the City of El Paso Animal Services in Texas, helping achieve a 90% save rate, up from 50% within 5 years. Before El Paso, she worked at First Coast No More Homeless Pets, where along with shelter medicine, she was responsible for teaching and evaluating 4th year veterinary students performing externships at the clinic. Her passion for teaching, surgery, and shelter medicine is fueled by the need to help build compassionate communities free of homeless pets and to afford each and every healthy, adoptable pet the best chance at a healthy, happy home life. To meet her goals, Dr. Canupp cared for anywhere between 400 and 1,200 animals every day, with the result that her tireless efforts decreased the number of sick animals and the risk of communicable disease dramatically.
As BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Veterinarian, Dr. Canupp makes a difference that goes beyond numbers, of course. In the wake of staff shortages and other pandemic-related obstacles, she works in tandem with veterinarians who are willing and available to conduct the foundation’s free spay/neuter clinics. What was a dream is now a reality: Dr. Canupp visits communities around the country, performing surgeries during community clinics and at shelters in dire need of moving homeless pets through the adoption process that, first and foremost, requires an adoptable pet to be neutered or spayed. In addition, she tends to urgent medical needs of pets who might otherwise not receive timely aid.
As you will read in our next article, Dr. Canupp’s particular passion in the field of shelter medicine is feline care—one of the biggest challenges facing shelters today. Her mentorship is invaluable as she teaches veterinary students and newly qualified vets the spay/neuter skills and techniques that make such a difference in the welfare of shelters and the wellbeing of the homeless animals they care for until each is placed in a loving home.
You too can help homeless pets by donating to BISSELL Pet Foundation, where every donor, every dollar, and every day counts!
Because BISSELL is dedicated to helping pets, the company absorbs administrative costs, enabling 100% of every donation to BPF to further the Foundation’s mission of reducing the number of pets in shelters and rescues through pet adoption, spay/neuter programs, vaccinations, microchipping, and crisis and disaster response support.